This month sees the release of Saxons 20th studio album release. I caught up with rock legend Biff Byford to discuss the new album, longevity and solo projects.
R13:So Biff, 'Sacrifice' is Saxons twentieth studio album. What's the secret to Saxons longevity?
BB: Yeah, it's our twentieth studio album. I think our secret is the passion for the music, being able to still write songs that are relevant and make albums that still sound cool. I think that's one of the big things.
R13: You guys are able to release a good solid album every two to three years, sometimes even less. Where do you draw your lyrical inspiration from?
BB: I produced it myself so it sounds like I think Saxon should sound. I took my lyrical inspiration just from life. I wanted to get back to a more simple style of writing lyrics like in the 80s on some of the songs like "Warriors of the Road", and "Stand up and Fight". I wanted to make it more "thrash metally" and I decided to write about days gone by, Belfast and things.
R13:'Sacrifice' seems to be somewhat heavier than your previous albums. Was this a conscious decision?
BB:I think its because of the guitar riffs and the aggression of the vocals. It makes it sound heavier. It has a lot of impact on your brain this album and it's very intense. I think we've done very well on it so late in our career.
R13: You can really hear that Paul (Quinn) and Doug (Scarratt) have opened the taps up on this album
BB: Yeah I wanted them to do that though and there was no guy in the background telling them how it should be done. I really wanted them to play how they play just with a Gibson and a Marshall. The same with Nigel (Glockler) and Nibbs (Carter), I just wanted them to play well and get the sounds and make it really powerful.
R13: Was making the album heavier a way to make it more appealing to todays wider rock audience?
BB:No not really, we just like recording them really and its just a sound that I like. It's a modern sound but it's a bit old school as well. It's more so the song writing that makes it sound like it does. It's like Made in Belfast, it starts with a Celtic mandolin, goes into a massive metal riff and then goes into something quite melodic so it's a unique Saxon song really.
R13: From conception to birth, how long did 'Sacrifice' take you to complete?
BB:About 4 months with weekends off for good behaviour. We did about 20 shows in between so we were mostly writing and recording.
R13: You produced this album yourself. Does that mean you had more control over the album?
BB:Yeah I produced it and Andy Sneap mixed it. We had more control on what went in there and how it was done. We put some twin guitar parts back in the songs which I think we'd got away from a little bit as everyone does. I wanted to reintroduce that back into the band.
R13: Have you got any personal favourite tracks on the album?
BB: It changes from day to day. One day I like Made in Belfast and the next I like Night of the Wolf. I think Belfast is a pretty cool track. It incorporates everything I think Saxon do well. Good lyrics, great melody, great guitar work and fantastic drums and bass.
R13: I've got to admit, my favourite tracks are 'Walking Steel' and 'Standing in a Queue'
BB: (laughs) Standing in a queue is a great song, you either get it or you don't. I'm sure most people in the UK will get that song big time. The Polish get it too. You only have to go into a supermarket! We came back from Mexico last year and spent a lot of time queuing and I thought I just had to write a song about it.
R13: I believe you're hitting the road next month?
BB: Yeah we kick off in March in America and then we hit the UK in April.
R13: So What can fans expect from this tour?
BB: A mixture really. Obviously we'll be doing a lot of the new songs putting a few songs in that we haven't played for a while and some of the classics. But we're doing some theatre shows and some of them are headline festival shows with the eagle, the flames and the smoke. We're trying to get something together in the UK at the moment based on a two tier tour. Some in smaller venues and some with 60-70,000 people. It'll be good for us and we're looking forward to it.
R13: What festivals you're playing this year?
BB: We're not playing any in the UK at the moment. We wanted Bloodstock, but that didn't work out. So now we're looking at one in Wales maybe that we could bring the production to but we'll keep you posted on that.
R13: Saxon have been described as "front runners and leading lights of British heavy metal". Is it good to hear new bands listing you as their influence?
BB: Yeah its always good to hear that. We started something in the 80s with (Iron) Maiden and a few of the other bands and it went around the world and influenced a lot of bands like Metallica and Machine Head and bands like that. There are a lot of young bands coming out that like our lyrics and writing and that British sound and that's cool. We've passed on our style and enthusiasm.
R13: Do you think there is still a place in today's music for your style of heavy metal?
BB: Yeah its gone really big again the last ten years, I mean Download this year looks phenomenal. Wacken Festival in Germany sells out before any of the bands are even announced! The audience is very big now for our style of music.
R13: If you could perform with anyone famous, alive or dead who would it be?
BB: I'd like to do Faith Healer with Alex Harvey that would be cool. Or wacky things. It would be great to sing Highway Star with (Ian) Gillan. There are a million things I'd like to do.
R13: So, looking to the future, you guys are going to keep recording and playing live. What can people expect from Saxon in the years to come?
BB: We're touring this year up until December and then we'll decide what we're going to do after that. If the rest of the band want to do another album then we'll do another album. If some people want to have a break, I'll look at doing a solo project. Lots of things in the pipeline.
R13: Thanks for talking to us Biff and good luck with the tour and the new album.
BB: Thanks Mark. Look forward to seeing you in April.